New York: Irie TV and Irie-TV.com are the registered trademark and domain name of Irie Jam Media, a New York based media group that has been in operation for over 15 years. We started from humble beginnings in 1993 as a radio outfit, doing a one-hour weekly radio simulcast in the tri-state area with our then Jamaican media partners Irie FM of Grove Broadcasting Corporation Limited. Our working relationship with Irie FM/Grove continued unabated for 4 years until it was mutually agreed to terminate the agreement.

To set the record straight, Irie TV is a registered trademark in the USA and has been so since 2003 when we registered the name and started broadcasting on Cablevision. We took a hiatus to restructure our operations and are now getting set to launch the first 24-hr Caribbean IPTV network that will broadcast content to Caribbean nationals living in the Diaspora.

Late last year we became aware, through a letter from Irie FM/Grove Broadcasting Corporation Limited that our intention to launch and operate Irie TV would constitute an infringement of their absolute right to use the Irie trademark and all common law representations thereof. We directed the letter to our attorneys and communicated to Grove Broadcasting Corporation Limited that our attorneys would respond appropriately.

We were therefore shocked and appalled that Irie FM/Grove would have gone public with a false and unsubstantiated statement that can and has caused irreparable damage to the integrity of Irie TV/Irie Jam Media, which has operated with impeccable credibility for almost two decades.

We take the actions of Irie FM/Grove Broadcasting Corporation very seriously, as we feel their actions were fundamentally scandalous, reckless and malicious, orchestrated to cause damage and to malign our wholesome reputation in the industry.

Our lawyers are currently investigating the matter and will take the necessary legal action to protect our interests. They will respond to Irie FM/Grove Broadcasting Corporation through the appropriate legal channels.

ZYNC-TV will examine the boundaries of free speech in today’s popular music culture, at a specially arranged forum at the Grand Army Plaza branch of the Brooklyn Public Library (Eastern Parkway/Flatbush Avenue), in central Brooklyn, on February 7, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

“A number of today’s artistes are beginning to feel the pressure of censorship because their lyrics speak out against certain lifestyles and concert promoters now run the risk of having to cancel events or make considerable adjustments to their line-ups for fear of boycott, demonstration and rejection,” Eion Saunders, co-producer of ZYNC-TV and the forum’s convenor told JIS News.

The forum will draw on a number of key resource persons and personalities from the music industry, academia and the Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual & Transgender (GLBT) communities.

Mr. Saunders said that while the historical and social context of homosexuality in Jamaican culture would be discussed, the panelists would tackle vexing issues such as the double-standard involved in banning reggae artistes, in particular, and race.

The documentary, “Africa Unite: A Celebration of Bob Marley’s Vision,” will be premiered in February, “Reggae Month.” It will have its world premiere on Marley’s birthday, February 6, at the Carib 5 Cinema and will be available on DVD on February 12.

Featuring American actor Danny Glover, Angelique Kidjo, the I-Threes and the Marley family, the film will take a look back at the Smile Jamaica/Africa Unite concert.

The film is based on events before, during and after the Marley family’s first trip to Ethiopia in 2005 for the twelve-hour Africa Unite concert held in the capital city of Addis Ababa. Three hundred thousand persons from across the globe helped the Marley family celebrate Bob Marley’s 60th birthday that year with the massiveoutdoor concert.

Additionally, the film will highlight the Marley family’s travelogue and humanitarian efforts. It also includes rare archival footage of Marley himself.

The film also features Jamaican politician Dudley Thompson, Marley’s mother Mrs. Cedella Booker, American singer Lauryn Hill, Jamaican singer Bob Andy, singer Penny Afro, the Marley boys-Ziggy, Stephen, Damian, Rohan and Julian. There is also a special appearance by Princess Mary the granddaughter of Emperor Haile Selassie.

Jerome Hamilton, publicity agent for the Marley’s musical interests, said the film is an interesting look at the family, the concert and the thoughts of the young generation in Africa.

This year, the Africa Unite/Smile Jamaica concert will take place at James Bond Beach in Oracabessa on Saturday, February 23.

“However, this is the first time that the Africa Unite concert will be held outside of Africa,” Hamilton said, “It’s usually held in Africa but this time we thought the message would be nice to have in the Diaspora. Africa is more than a continent – its a people.”

The line-up includes all the Marley brothers, Capleton, Cocoa Tea, Black Uhuru, Rihanna, 2Face, Tarrus Riley, Queen Ifrika, Bunny Wailer and the I-Threes along with many others. There will also be a special tribute to deceased African singer Lucky Dube.

Diana Ross pissed off a crowd of 40,000 at the 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival on Saturday, where Miss Thing, 63, was booed and heckled by Jamaicans attending the festival in Montego Bay — after organizers told them that “to honor Miss Ross’ wishes, she will not be shown on the monitors.” That news was greeted with widespread hissing. Oh no she didn’t!

Patrons in the stadium-sized arena were unable to see the diva onstage, so they called for organizers to put her performance up on the big screen. “It was at the eleventh hour that her manager said she wouldn’t allow us to IMAG (In Vivo Imaging) her performance,” said a concert promoter, “and, if any cameras were present, she would not go on stage.”

Hisses turned to full-out boos when Ross started her set with Supremes hits — and the crowd beyond the first section couldn’t see her — and the booing continued throughout her set.

Festival spokesperson Carlette DeLeon issued a statement Sunday blaming Ross for upsetting the Jamaica crowd, saying, “The much anticipated performance of Diana Ross on Saturday proved somewhat disappointing to many patrons who expected a very interactive set. Miss Ross’ request to have a restricted display of her performance however, inconvenienced patrons who were left feeling distanced from the stage and her performance.”

Attendees paid from $80 to $307 to watch Ross — who was reportedly paid $300,000 for the gig — perform the hour-long set with fellow headliners Mary Mary, Billy Ocean and KoKo Taylor.

VP Records makes an offer to acquire Greensleeves RecordsVP Records, the world’s leading reggae record company, has announced that it has made an offer to purchase Greensleeves Records & Publishing from Zest Group plc, subject to the approval of Zest’s shareholders. VP Records will inherit a catalogue comprised of some of the most notable albums of the genre, from Elephant Man to Yellowman and hit songs recorded by such acts as Rihanna, Sean Paul and Shaggy.

Chris Chin and Randy Chin, respectively Chief Executive Officer and President of VP Records, further added: “Although Greensleeves has historically been our competitor, we have always had the utmost respect for what Greensleeves stood for. The label and its founders had a long term commitment to Reggae music and no one is better positioned than VP Records to understand the need to respect this legacy. We will ensure that Greensleeves remains alive as a brand synonymous with excellence in Reggae and Dancehall music.”

Olivier Chastan, Vice President of VP Records, concluded: “The addition of Greensleeves to our catalog will ensure that the genre remains an important category in music. I am incredibly excited about the accumulation of classic works such as Wayne Smith’s “Sleng Teng” and Yellowman’s “Mr. Yellowman.”

.Greensleeves Publishing is just as rich, with a large catalog that includes major recent hits like Sean Paul’s “Get Busy” and Wayne Wonder’s “Bounce Along” both written by Steven Marsden (a/k/a Lenky)and Donovan Bennett’s “Pon De River, Pon De Bank” written for Elephant Man among other compositions.

Furthermore, Greensleeves’s unique English roots will allow VP Records to consolidate its presence in Europe’s Steve Weltman, Zest’s Chief Executive, commented: “The combination of Greensleeves and VP Records will ensure the future of Reggae music around the world. VP Records is committed to preserving the legacy of the Greensleeves label that was begun by its founders Chris Sedgwick & Chris Cracknell in 1977.”